When Morality Comes into Play
by seeleyboothfan
Summary: Takes place during Awakenings. What happens when in game characters start to question moral decisions that the gamer themselves could question? Like, why does no one yell at you for stealing their things from right in front of them?


"Success!"

Nathaniel easily lifted the top of the chest to reveal two pairs of chainmail boots, a chainmail breast plate, and a Longsword. Nestled in the corner was a bag of gems. Cousland peered over Nathaniel's shoulder, "The armor looks passable, we'll take it all." She removed her backpack and opened the flap. Nathaniel passed her the armor and she stuffed them inside, but not before exchanging her sword for the Longsword.

"I'll take the breast plate," Sigrun called out, "My current one is starting to rust." She quickly changed into her new armor and gave Cousland her old breast plate,

"These should fetch a fair price." Anders indicated the silver goblets in the kitchen of the house.

"Take them all, then."

Cousland exited the house and squatted down by the two bodies near the door. The siege of Amaranthine left many dead bodies littered throughout the town. After rifling through their belongings, she pocketed the twelve sovereigns from the gentleman and pulled on the amulet from the woman. Everything else she carried back into the house to put into their backpack. Anders eyes the backpack as item after item was added, "I still don't quite understand how 50 pieces of armor fit in that small backpack, but I'll appreciate it all the same." Cousland didn't respond, just hefted the backpack on to her shoulders and exited the house. She didn't even bother shutting the door. She paused and pulled out her map. There were two hot spots marked in the village and the Chantry was circled. She knew the situation with the Mother demanded her priority but she hadn't had a chance to loot this section of Amaranthine and has postponed the trip to the Mother's nest for a few days.

"Let's head over here." She indicated one of the hot spots, "and see what tasks they'd like us to do."

"Wait," Sigrun piped up, "I know I've not spent much time on the surface, Legion of the Dead and all, but how can you have spots marked on your map that you don't know what they point to?"

Cousland just shrugged, "I never question it."

Nathaniel spoke up from behind her, "And why exactly aren't we going to the Mother's nest right now? Isn't she and the Architect the reason we are on this journey?"

Cousland grumbled, she hated having to explain things, "The Mother will wait. They always wait. The Arch Demon waited, the desire demon possessing Connor waited, even dying Arl Eamon waited for us. There's never any rush."

"But-"

"Don't make me return to Vigil's Keep to replace you with Velanna, or Justice... or Oghren." she glared at Nathaniel.

Anders groaned, "Not the Dwarf... anyone but him."

Cousland was about to speak up when she almost ran into a child in the middle of the street. She was going to ignore him and walk around him when he spoke, "That's my Father's sword!" He indicated the sword on Cousland's back, "And my sister's breast plate, " This time he pointed to Sigrun's armor. "They were in a trunk in my house."

Cousland nodded, "Finders keepers."

"But the trunk was locked... the front door was locked too!" As Cousland tried to come up with an excuse as to why they picked the locks to steal his belongings, the boy's eyes bugged as he eyed the amulet Cousland wore. "That's my mother's amulet! She was wearing that today. She never takes it off, how did you get it?"

"Well... she's dead.... she didn't exactly need it anymore."

"...you mean you took it off her body?! You are disgusting people!"

Cousland never really second guessed their habits of picking locks and looting dead bodies until this child confronted them. Cousland closed her eyes and tried to decide what to say. It was as if there was a bank of choices she could say ranging from extremely violent to extremely remorseful. She could give everything back plus money, she could apologize and give back the amulet, tell him it was none of his business, or kill him to shut him up. Cousland certainly wasn't the remorseful type, so the first choice was out. And from what she could tell of the amulet, it was very powerful, so she wasn't going to give it back. Telling him to go away would just make the situation go on longer. Cousland sighed, killing him was the only choice left. Sure, her companions would disapprove, but they liked her enough that if she gave them a gift from the next store they came across, she'd win back that approval. She pulled out her newly acquired Longsword, laughing ruefully over the fact that the boy would die by his Father's sword. She only dread the fact that she'd have to finish they're trek across Amaranthine covered in blood... again.


End file.
